Project description:Bladder cancer (BC) is heterogeneous and expresses various cell surface targets. Photoimmunotherapy (PIT) involves monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) conjugated to a photoabsorber (PA), IR Dye 700Dx, and then activated by near infra-red light (NIR) to specifically target tumors. We have demonstrated that tumors expressing EGFR can be targeted with PIT. However, PIT may be less effective when a tumor lacks "overwhelming" expression of a single target such as EGFR. We present a combinatorial PIT approach for targeting BC expressing EGFR and HER2, using PA- labeled panitumumab (pan) and trastuzumab (tra), respectively. Human BC tissues and cell lines were analyzed for EGFR and HER2 expression. Efficacy of PA-labeled MAbs singly and in combination was analyzed. About 45% of BC tissues stain for both EGFR and HER2. In vitro, the combination of pan IR700 and tra IR700 with NIR was more efficacious than either agent alone. Tumor xenografts treated with combination PIT showed significant tumor growth retardation. Combination PIT is a promising approach for treating BC with low/moderate expression of surface receptors. In addition, given the molecular heterogeneity of bladder cancer, targeting more than one surface receptor may allow for more effective cell death across different bladder tumors.
Project description:This is a Phase 2, open-label, multicenter study whose principal objectives are to evaluate the efficacy and safety/tolerability of poziotinib in five cohorts of 30 previously-treated patients each.
Project description:Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) is an oncogenic driver, and a well-established therapeutic target in breast and gastric cancers. Using functional and genomic analyses of patient-derived xenografts, we previously showed that a subset (approximately 5%) of metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) tumors is driven by amplification or mutation of HER2. This paper reviews the role of HER2 amplification as an oncogenic driver, a prognostic and predictive biomarker, and a clinically actionable target in CRC, considering the specifics of HER2 testing in this tumor type. While the role of HER2 as a biomarker for prognosis in CRC remains uncertain, its relevance as a therapeutic target has been established. Indeed, independent studies documented substantial clinical benefit in patients treated with biomarker-driven HER2-targeted therapies, with an impact on response rates and duration of response that compared favorably with immunotherapy and other examples of precision oncology. HER2-targeted therapeutic strategies have the potential to change the treatment paradigm for a clinically relevant subgroup of metastatic CRC patients.
Project description:Currently, the dichotomous definition of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive versus HER2-negative disease undergoing a change through inclusion of the identification of the "HER2-low" category, for which new therapeutic compounds in the form of potent antibody drug conjugates (ADC) may be effective. In addition, resistance to HER2-directed targets has become a clinical challenge and, therefore, strategies to bypass the HER2 receptor are of high interest. These are new HER2 ADCs and tyrosine kinase inhibitors, such as tucatinib or neratinib. The underlying mechanisms of resistance to anti-HER2 therapies and compensatory pathways are complex and a wide range of mechanisms of resistance may coexist in the same cell. Therefore, the combined treatment with agents that interact with HER2-associated downstream signaling pathways like the phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K) and the serine/threonine kinases AKT and mTOR might overcome HER2 resistance. In addition, targeting other members of the HER family is a promising approach to improve outcomes in breast cancer patients. This review gives an overview of treatment strategies in targeting HER2 and other members of the HER family, not only in HER2-positive breast cancer, but also in HER2-low expressing tumors, and of approaches to overcome HER2 resistance.
Project description:Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) is overexpressed in 20-25% of breast cancers. Increased HER2 expression is an adverse prognostic factor and correlates with decreased patient survival. HER2-positive (HER2(+)) breast cancer is treated with trastuzumab. Unfortunately, some patients are intrinsically refractory to therapy, and many who do respond initially become resistant within 1 year. Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying HER2 signaling and trastuzumab resistance is essential to reduce breast cancer mortality. IQGAP1 is a ubiquitously expressed scaffold protein that contains multiple protein interaction domains. By regulating its binding partners IQGAP1 integrates signaling pathways, several of which contribute to breast tumorigenesis. We show here that IQGAP1 is overexpressed in HER2(+) breast cancer tissue and binds directly to HER2. Knockdown of IQGAP1 decreases HER2 expression, phosphorylation, signaling, and HER2-stimulated cell proliferation, effects that are all reversed by reconstituting cells with IQGAP1. Reducing IQGAP1 up-regulates p27, and blocking this increase attenuates the growth inhibitory effects of IQGAP1 knockdown. Importantly, IQGAP1 is overexpressed in trastuzumab-resistant breast epithelial cells, and reducing IQGAP1 both augments the inhibitory effects of trastuzumab and restores trastuzumab sensitivity to trastuzumab-resistant SkBR3 cells. These data suggest that inhibiting IQGAP1 function may represent a rational strategy for treating HER2(+) breast carcinoma.
Project description:BackgroundHuman epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive invasive breast cancer (BC) accounts for 15-20% of all cases, requiring HER2-targeted neoadjuvant therapy (NAT). Despite the success of trastuzumab and other HER2-targeted treatments, many patients still experience inadequate responses, highlighting the need for more accurate and accessible biomarkers to predict treatment outcomes. Serum HER2 (sHER2) levels, as a non-invasive biomarker, have shown promise in monitoring treatment response; however, the role of sHER2 dynamics during treatment remains underexplored. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential of sHER2 dynamics as a predictor of pathological complete response (pCR) in HER2-positive BC patients undergoing NAT.MethodsThis retrospective study analyzed 120 HER2-positive BC patients who underwent standard NAT followed by surgery at Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center (FUSCC). sHER2 levels were measured at three time points: baseline, after the second cycle of therapy (C2), and at surgery. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess the association between changes in sHER2 levels and the achievement of pCR. The study also examined the influence of other clinicopathological factors such as estrogen receptor (ER) status, Ki67, and tissue HER2 (tHER2) levels on pCR.ResultsDuring NAT, sHER2 levels showed a significant decline, with a more pronounced reduction observed in patients achieving pCR. The greatest reduction in sHER2 levels after C2 was strongly associated with pCR. Both univariate and multivariate analyses identified significant reductions in sHER2 levels after C2 and ER-negative status as independent predictors of pCR. Notably, sHER2 changes from baseline to C2 demonstrated a stronger predictive value for pCR compared to changes observed later in treatment.ConclusionsOur study confirms that reductions in sHER2 levels after C2 are a strong indicator of favorable treatment response in HER2-positive BC patients undergoing NAT. Monitoring sHER2 dynamics early in treatment can serve as a useful, non-invasive biomarker to predict pCR and may guide therapeutic decisions in clinical practice.
Project description:Antibodies have become valuable therapeutic agents for targeting of extracellular proteins in various diseases, including cancer, autoimmunity and cardiovascular disorders. For breast cancer, antibodies targeting the human HER2 have been shown to result in cell growth inhibition both in vitro and in patients with breast tumors. There is evidence to suggest that targeting multiple HER2 epitopes may result in increased growth inhibition making it interesting to find antibodies targeting new epitopes. Here, we report on a new scheme to discover antibodies directed to new epitopes using the extracellular domain of the HER2 as a model. Polyclonal antibodies were generated using recombinant protein fragments and affinity purified fractions of the antibodies were functionally characterized and precisely epitope mapped using bacterial surface display. Polyclonal antibodies towards a 127 amino acid recombinant protein fragment spanning between domains II and III of the HER2 were shown to bind to human ductal carcinoma cell line BT474 resulting in growth inhibition. Affinity purification demonstrated that antibodies to two separate regions from the N- and C-terminal end of the fragment exhibited the growth inhibition. Epitope mapping of the C-terminal antibodies revealed a 25 amino acid region (LPESFDGDPASNTAPLQPEQLQVF) with two distinct epitopes mediating efficient growth inhibition. The results suggest that antibodies directed towards this region of domain III of the HER2, distinct from the well-known monoclonal antibodies trastuzumab and pertuzumab, bind to the HER2 on living cells and exhibit growth inhibition. The work describes a new strategy to develop antibodies directed to non-overlapping epitopes and shows a path of pursuit to explore the epitope space of a target protein.
Project description:In the past 5 years, the treatment options available to patients with HER2+ breast cancer brain metastasis (BCBM) have expanded. The longer survival of patients with HER2+ BCBM renders understanding the toxicities of local therapies even more important to consider. After reviewing the available literature for HER2 targeted systemic therapies as well as local therapies, we present a simplified algorithm for when to prioritize systemic therapies over local therapies in patients with HER2+ BCBM.
Project description:Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) belongs to the ErbB family, a group of four transmembrane glycoproteins with tyrosine kinase activity, all structurally related to epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). These tyrosine kinases are involved in the transmission of cellular signals controlling normal cell growth and differentiation. If this transmission goes awry, it can lead to dysregulated growth of the cell. HER2 specifically can be implicated in the pathogenesis of at least eight malignancies. HER2 positivity quickly became a well-characterized indicator of aggressiveness and poor prognosis, with high rates of disease progression and mortality. After realizing the implication of HER2, it first became investigated as a target for treatment in breast cancer, and later expanded to areas of research in other cancer types. To this day, the most therapeutic advancements of anti-HER2 therapy have been in breast cancer; however, there have been strong advancements made in the incorporation of anti-HER2 therapy in other cancer types as well. This comprehensive review dissects HER2 to its core, incorporating the most up to date information. The topics touched upon are discussed in detail and up to 200 published sources from the most highly recognized journals have been integrated. The importance of knowing about HER2 is exemplified by the groundbreaking advancements that have been made, and the change in treatment plans it has brought to the oncological world in the last twenty years. Since its groundbreaking discovery there have been significant breakthroughs in knowledge regarding the actual receptor, the receptors biology, its mechanism of action, and advancements in tests to detect HER2 and significant strides on how to best incorporate targeted treatment. Due to the success of this field thus far, the review concludes by discussing the future of novel anti-HER2 therapy currently in development that everyone should be aware of.